Russell Martin feels Nicolas Raskin has had his head turned by other clubs, affecting his early season Rangers form.
The Belgium midfielder has been benched for the last two Rangers games, the win over Viktoria Plzen and draw with Dundee. It came after a poor team display against Motherwell, after which the manager took aim at certain unnamed players.
When Raskin and James Tavernier then dropped out, the implication was that he had been referring to them.
A key figure for the team last season, the new manager says he can only judge the 24-year-old and the rest of his teammates on what they're doing now.
New signing Joe Rothwell is currently playing as the deepest lying midfielder but Martin insists the pair can absolutely play together.
He said: "They started the first game together and started a lot together in pre-season. It is the same as any player. I spoke to you about a player who has not had a really good time here on Saturday but we are judging from being just here right now.
"What Nico did last season – rightly or wrongly – I can’t have a feeling about. Does that make sense? I can only judge on right now. He played brilliantly on Saturday. He came out of the team for reasons that me and him spoke about and his reaction has been top, like really, really brilliant, and I think that's all you can ever ask for.
"He has a brilliant chance of playing with Joe, without Joe, if he lives in that place all the time."
Raskin's form last season led to him being linked to other clubs and Martin admits there has been "uncertainty".
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The former Southampton boss says the club has not fielded any calls about him but the player has directly.
But he has hailed his reaction in recent days.
"There's been a bit of uncertainty about him this summer for sure," he added. "Not from people ringing us, but I think from people ringing him definitely. So I think that's affected his approach in the first... not in terms of professionalism or stuff, but he's a young man. Of course, it's going to have an impact at some point.
"And then we've had a discussion, and since he came out of the team, he's been a different guy, incredible. So he needs to stay there all the time. What anyone did last season, really, to me… It is difficult to say that because you have a feeling for him as a fan, he played well for the team and I watched a lot of the games from last season. But to judge someone on that… What we are asking them to do is so different.
"He is a really fantastic player, a young man that I am getting to know all the time and I really like his character and personality. I am really clear on him on the demands of playing the position he wants to play. Then it will be up to him. He will have opportunities.
"I said to you after the game he made a big difference for us, the most difference. He made half of the tackles we made in the whole game. He was a big difference for us and he needs to live there all the time. The demands are really clear on whatever position you play.
"Hopefully we can get to the end of the window, he's still here, and then we can keep growing and keep improving and keep kicking on. And they'll probably play in the same team at some point. It definitely doesn't have to be one or the other."
Asked if the plan is to keep Raskin beyond the summer window, he added: "I don't think we're in a position where we have to sell anyone. I don't think we're in a position where we want to lose some of the best performers last season that we think can become really top performers for us this season and moving forward.
"So yeah, that's the plan, unless someone comes in and blows our minds and everyone decides - the player, the club, everyone decides that it's the best for everyone - and then we can make sure we're in a position to replace, then we'll with someone else. It's the same for anyone, I think, at any club in world football now."
